Decision Summary HPA No. 94-401

Applicant sought a permit for a curb cut to her recently purchased single-family home and office building in the Dupont Circle Historic District. The Mayor’s Agent denied the application, concluding that its allowance would set a negative precedent in a historic district with a parking shortage and that acceptance of Applicant’s argument that a driveway was consistent with the Act because there were others in the neighborhood would nullify the very purposes of the Act.

Consistent with the Purposes of the Act:

The Mayor’s Agent concluded that accepting Applicant’s argument (proposed curb cut and driveway were consistent with the purposes of the Act because there were other driveways in the neighborhood) would nullify the very purposes of the Act.

Curb Cut:

The Mayor’s Agent denied Applicant’s request to install a curb cut for her home and office building in the Dupont Circle Historic District, concluding that its allowance would set a negative precedent in a historic district with a parking shortage and that acceptance of Applicant’s argument that a driveway was consistent with the Act because there were others in the neighborhood would nullify the very purposes of the Act.

Historic District:

The Mayor’s Agent found that designation of a historic district “is often to stop the erosion of certain historic characteristics of the district.”